Musical system



Dec. 3, 1940. A. A. KUCHER 2,223,439

MUSICAL SYSTEM Original Filed July 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll/JIL A 7J5 i 111 HH H M rH HHHHH} Hh\i INVENTOR.

BY ATTORNEY.

A. A. KUCHER MUSICAL SYSTEM Dec. 3, 1940.

Original Filed July 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fll away 6 M a M INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 91,726. 1939, SerialNo. 275,094

6 Claims.

The present application is a division of my earlier filed application,Serial No. 91,726, filed July 21, 1936.

In my aforesaid application, I have disclosed an invention relating tothe art of reproducing sound, and particularly musical notes and tones.The apparatus disclosed includes a plurality of wheels or bands, eachcarrying on its peripheral surface the wave form patterns of eightfundamental notes of the musical scale arranged in octave relation.These wheels or bands, and consequently, the wave form patterns, arerotated at a speed calculated to produce perfect pitch of the notespatterned thereon, and the impulses or frequencies produced thereby maybe transmitted to a sound reproducing device either by means of a lightsensitive circuit or by a magnetic pickup circuit.

My present invention relates to such a system, and particularly to anovel arrangement of parts providing a plurality of sources of light forthe wave form patterns. In its broader aspect, my invention has for itsobject the provision of a system including a source of power having twoparallel circuits connected thereto, one circuit including a pluralityof series arranged power consuming devices, each controlled by itsindividual switch arranged in shunt relation thereto, and in the secondcircuit.

More specifically, my invention has for its object the provision of asystem including a plurality of sources of light, one for each wave formpattern, arranged in series and means in the form of a plurality ofswitches arranged in series in a second circuit, for shunting one ormore of the sources of light, as the case may be.

Many more specific objects will become apparent from the followingspecification and claims, taken with the drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a portion of my improved system showingtwelve units mounted on steps constituting shafts of varying diameters;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 with certain otherelements of my improved system shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the periphery of one of the wheels used. in theembodiments of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of twelve units as in Fig. 1, incombination with an improved source of light;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the arrangement shown 1. Fig. 4; and

fig. 6 is an end elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5.

Divided and this application May 22,

I have illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a system employing twelve similarwheels or bands, each wheel carrying the wave form patterns of eightfundamental notes of the scale in octave relation. The peripheralsurface of one of such wheels is 5 shown in Fig. 3, and carried thereonare eight wave form patterns arranged in the form of tracks extendingcircumferentially of the wheel. These tracks are designated by thereference characters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h and have frequencies inoctave relation. All of the wheels are similarly constructed and carrythe same patterns.

The wave form patterns may be formed on the peripheral surface of thewheel in different ways. For example, they may be etched or embossed onthe peripheral surface, and, if a magnetic pickup means is to be used,the peripheral surface may be made of magnetic material such as iron. Orsuch wave forms, when etched or embossed, may be polished to reflectlight upon a photoelectric cell or cells. Or the wave form patterns maybe formed in photographic film shaped into the form of a wheel ormounted on the peripheral surface of the wheel. Or, if desired, the waveform patterns may be formed in opaque material by perforations; all, ofcourse, depending upon the type of apparatus used in transmitting theimpulses from the wave form patterns to the reproducing device.

The wave form patterns are in octave relation and consequently the speedof the unit or units may be calculated to produce perfect pitch of allof the notes patterned thereon.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown therein an embodiment ofapparatus wherein wave form patterns similar to those of Fig. 3 may beused to produce all of the frequencies of the musical scale. Suchapparatus is shown as including a frame l0 carrying a motor Ii providedwith a shaft l3. The shaft I3 is mounted in the bearings l4 and I5 and,intermediate the enlargement l6 formed on its right hand end, and themotor I i, the shaft is provided with a plurality of steps I! forming ineffect shafts of dif- 5 ferent diameters. In the particular embodimentshown, a means I2 is provided for magnetizing the steps l1. This meansis shown in the form of an electromagnet and the enlargement I6constitutes the core thereof. However, it should be understood that thesteps ll may be in the form of permanent magnets themselves and in suchcase, the electromagnet may be dispensed with.

On each of the steps i1 is suspended a wheel or band 19 held in positionby the magnetic pull exerted on the wheels by reason of the magneticfield created in the shaft l 3 by the electromagnet I2. To preventdisplacement of the wheels while the shaft is rotating, the frame Illvcarries guides 20 in the form of a comb extending between the wheels H.

In the particular embodiment now being considered, the wheels I9 aremade of magnetic material such as iron and the wave form patterns may beformed therein in any of the ways described in connection with Fig, 3.

The apparatus so far described operates as follows. The electromagnet i2sets up a magnetic field in the shaft [3, thereby causing the wheels I9to be held securely against the steps I! of the shaft IS. The operationof the motor l2 will cause rotation of the shaft l3 and its steps I! andconsequently the wheels i9 will roll about the steps I! withoutslippage. Due to the fact that the steps are of different diameters, thewheels 19 will roll at different speeds. Since all of the wave formpatterns are in octave relation on any one wheel, the speed thereof canbe calculated to produce perfect pitch of all of the notes patternedthereon.

With respect to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the specific dimensionsof the various parts are given in detail in my prior application SerialNo. 91,726, and attention is directed thereto for a more completedescription.

In Fig. 2, I'have shown diagrammatically a system containing a lightsensitive cell or cells as the means for transmitting the impulses tothe sound reproducing device. This circuit contains the loud speaker 2|,the amplifier 22, light sensitive cell 23, alight slit 21, and a sourceof light 26 common to all of the wheels l9. An individual shutter 24,each with its individual key control 25, is provided for each wave formpattern so that by depressing one or more keys, light is admitted to andreflected by one or more wave form patterns as the case may be. -Thereflected light passes through the slit 2! to the cell or cells 23.

In place of the source of light 23 common to all of the patterns, I mayuse the arrangement shown in Figs. 6, 4 and 5. In Fig.4, the wheels areshown diagrammatically at It) and opposite each wave form pattern islocated a spark gap. Several such gaps have been shown, but since eachgap is,

similar to each other gap, all of them have not been shown. One such gapincludes the points 50 and 5| and another the points 53 and 54. All ofthe gaps are connected in key shunt relation; that is to say, each gapis short circuited by its key except when the key is depressed. To useother words, depressing of a key causes the spark to jump the gapcontrolled by that key.

When key 58 is depressed, current flows from the source of high tension,high frequency alternating current 51 through the leads 55, 59 and 60and back through the remaining keys and the.

lead 56 to the source 51. Thus, a spark jumps the gap 50-5l and thisspark serves as the source of light for the wave form pattern locatedopposite the gap 505l.

If both keys 58 and 62 are depressed at the same time, then currentflows from the source 51 through leads 55, 59 and 60, thence through thekeys to the line 64 and back to the source 51 through the lines 65 and56. In this case, sparks Jump both the gaps 50-5I and 53-54 and serve asthe sources of light for the wave form patterns opposite the gaps 505land 535l.

The circuit is so arranged that sparks may Jump from one to twenty gapsat the same time.

depending upon how many of the keys are depressed.

It should be understood that the spark gap system Just describedconstitutes the source of light in a light sensitive circuit, asdescribed in connection with Fig. 2, for transmitting impulses from thewave form patterns to a light sensitive cell or cells. Such a circuitwould include the light sensitive cell or cells, the loud speaker, theamplifier, etc. No shutters would be required, however, since the lightis present only when desired.

Since high tension, high frequency alternating current is continuouslyproduced by device 51, a bleeder spark gap 66 is provided to preventshort circuiting of the spark gap system when none of the keys isdepressed.

To prevent jumping of the spark at places other than at the gaps, theleads to the gaps may be arranged as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A framearranged in the form of an are 69 extends the width of the wheels I! andthe leads 68 to the various gaps are supported therein in staggeredrelation so that they are spaced apart a'greater distance throughouttheir length than at their terminals.

In Fig. 4, I have shown the individual sources of light as spark gaps.Obviously, other sources of light may be used in the same system, andeach such source may be by-passed or shunted by the closing of itsindividual controlling switch. The same system may, likewise, be usedfor purposes other than the purpose described.

Likewise, other forms of my invention are possible, all within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination comprising a plurality of wave form patterns, a soundreproducing device, means for creating and transmitting impulses fromsaid wave form patterns to said sound reproducing device including alight sensitive cell anda source of light, said source of lightincluding a separate spark gap for each wave form pattern. I

2. The combination comprising a plurality of wave form patterns, a soundreproducing device, means for transmitting impulses from said wave formpatterns to said sound reproducing device,

/ said means including a light sensitive cell and a source 01' light,said source of light including a separate spark gap for each wave formpattern, and an individual control for each spark gap.

3. The combination comprising a plurality of wave form patterns, a soundreproducing device, means for transmitting impulses from said wave formpatterns to said sound reproducing device, said means including alightsensitive cell and a source of light, said source of light including aseparate spark gap for each wave form pattern, a separate control foreach spark gap, and means for causing movement of said wave formpatterns with respect to said spark gaps.

4. The combination comprising a plurality of wave form patterns, a soundreproducing device, means for transmitting impulses from said wave formpatterns to said sound reproducing device, said means including a lightsensitive cell and a source of light, said source of light including aseparate spark gap for each of said wave form patterns, a separatecontrol for each of said gaps, means for causing movement of said waveform patterns with respect to said gaps, and

-means for causing up to and including twenty gaps to operateconcurrently.

5. The combination comprising a plurality of wheels each carrying on itsperipheral surface the wave form pattern of notes of the musical scalearranged in octave relation, 2. sound reproducing device, means forcreating and transmitting impulses from said wave form patterns to saidsound reproducing device, said means including a light sensitive celland a source of light, said source of light including a separate sparkgap for each wave form pattern, a separate control for each gap, andmeans for causing a plurality of gaps to operate concurrently upon thedepression of a plurality of the separate controls, and magnetic meansfor causing movement of said wheels relative to said gaps quencyalternating current for said spark gaps, 10

and means for operating a plurality of said controls concurrently forcausing sparks to Jump a plurality of said gaps at the same time.

ANDREW A. mom;

